Modeling the ecosystem dynamics of the Barents sea including the marginal ice zone: I. Physical and chemical oceanography

A physical–chemical–biological model of the Barents Sea is used to simulate the necessary conditions for primary production. The model is validated to in situ current measurements and temperature fields, and is compared with physical and chemical data from a section across the central part of the basin. The results show that the section is placed in a region with mesoscale variability and significant horizontal gradients. The results are therefore sensitive not only to forcing conditions, but to the growth of instabilities. Alternatives for interpreting the field data are suggested. An example of a “hidden” feature only a few grid points away suggests that a different approach combining the spatial and temporal variabilities may allow for a better validation.